IDF arrests 17 in West Bank raids, preps house for demolition
Weapons, combat gear seized; home of Modiin hammer attacker inspected by engineering troops ahead of razing
Raoul Wootliff is a former Times of Israel political correspondent and Daily Briefing podcast producer.
IDF troops carried out a range of operations in West Bank towns and villages overnight Tuesday night, arresting Palestinian suspects in a series of raids and preparing for demolition the home of a Palestinian man who carried out a terror attack earlier this month.
During the raids soldiers seized weapons including Kalashnikov rifles, knives and combat gear presumed to be held in preparation for future attacks.
The IDF said a total of 17 Palestinian suspects were arrested, including two men described as Hamas members. Fifteen of those arrested are suspected of direct involvement in recent attacks on civilians and security forces, the army said.
The suspects have been transferred to the Shin Bet security agency for interrogation.
In a separate operation, combat engineers entered the West Bank village of Beit Lakiya to map out the home of Ismail al-Hadidi. The mapping procedure is conducted ahead of home demolitions.
Al-Hadidi attacked two coworkers at a construction site in the central Israeli city of Modiin on December 15. He beat the two — an Israeli Jew and a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem — with a hammer, causing moderate to serious injuries to both men, according to police and rescue officials.
Al-Hadidi had a work permit that allowed him to work in Israel.
While the motive of the attack was initially unclear, with some reports suggesting it was a work-related dispute that got out of hand, after interrogating the suspect police said the incident was a terror attack.
The practice of demolishing the family homes of terrorists has been criticized by nongovernmental groups, but officials have defended its use as a deterrent against future attacks.
Critics claim that in addition to being a form of collective punishment, house demolitions could motivate family members of terrorists to launch attacks themselves.
